Distribution box



J. A. FINGLAND DISTRIBUTION BOX Oct. 29, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10. 1956 INVENTOR. J4 A F/A/smA o flTrafA Efi Alia 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1963 .1. A. FINGLAND DISTRIBUTION BOX Filed Dec. 10. 1956 Oct. 29, 1963 J. A. FINGLAND DISTRIBUTION BOX 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec 10, 1956 INVENTOR. J c/z A, Fnvam/va wNX United States Patent Ofi ice 3,1985 1 7 Patented Oct. 29, 1963 3,108,517 DISTREBUTION BOX Jack A. England, Oakland, Calif. Creative Metals Corp, 1290 Powell St, Emeryville, Calif.) Filed Dec. 10, 1956, Ser. No. 627,240 Claims. (Cl. 94-44) This invention relates to and in general has for its obect the provision of a so-called distribution box for receivmg paving material such as asphalt and the like from a truck and delivering and screeding such material as a strip thereof over a roadbed.

More specifically, the object of this invention is the provision of a distribution box of the character described having a bottom opening or throat of readily adjustable width, side gates of adjustable elevation, and a trailing tiltable screed plate disposed partially within the confines of the distribution box, said screed plate being arranged to slide over the immediately laid strip of material under the influence of half of the weight of the distribution box and the weight of the material overlying the confined portion of the screed plate.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a distribution box of the character described wherein the width of its bottom operu'ng or throat is adjustable by one or more removable cut-off plates seated within said box over a portion of its throat and supporting a portion of the paving material accommodated within said box.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a distribution box of the character described wherein its screed plate is hinged intermediate its front and rear ends to the lower edge of the rear side of said box and wherein the inclination of said screed plate is controlled by a screw supported by said box rearwardly thereof.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a distribution box of the character described wherein its side gates or side cut-off plates are carried on first class levers pivoted to said box and extending rearwardly thereof.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification, is outlined in full. In said drawings, one form of the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims may be embodied in other for-ms.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a distribution box embodying the objects of my invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the distribution box illus trated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section taken on the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front end elevation as viewed from the line '44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the section line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

PEG. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on the section line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

PEG. 7 is a vertical section taken on the section line 77 of FIG. 6.

The distribution box illustrated in these various figures comprises a rectangular container or frame generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and including a rear wall 2, an inclined forwardly flaring front wall 3, and opposed side walls 4 and 5 terminating at their lower ends at a level substantially above the lower edges of the rear and front walls 2- and 3. Formed on the lower edge of the front wall 3 is a rearwardly extending flange 6 serving as a ledge for supporting one or more adjustable or removable cut-off plates to be present-1y described.

Welded to and along the under edges of the container sides 4 and '5 are outwardly extending flanges 7 and 8, and similarly welded to the rear wall 2 along its upper edge is a rearwardly extending flange 9. Welded to the outer edges of the container or frame side flanges 7 and 8 are outwardly flaring side extensions 11 and 12, and welded to the upper faces of the side flanges 7 and 8 are spaced eyes 13 for aiding in carrying or otherwise manipulating the device when it is not in operation.

Welded to the upper, outer edge of the front front wall 3 is a supporting crossbeam 1 4 of rectangular cross section braced by two pairs of spaced, rearwardly extending webs l5 welded to the front wall 3. Depending from the cross beam 14 and welded thereto in vertical registration with each pair of webs 15 is a pair of parallel plates 16 provided with a series of bolt holes 17. Snugly aocommodated within each pair of plates is an H frame 18, the sides of which are provided with bolt holes 19 formed on the same modulus as the holes 17. As a result of this construction, each H frame can be secured to the plates 16 by bolts 21 at any desired level. lo-urnaled in the lower end of each of the H frames 18 is a ground engaging wheel 22. Preferably, the lower end of each of the H frames is braced by a rearwardly extending arm 23 formed integral therewith and welded to the container front wall 3 and to a cross angle 24 welded to the wall 3 adjacent its lower edge. Secured to the angle 24 is a chain bridle 24w.

Welded to the outer face of each of the frame side walls 4 and 5 are spacing strips 25, and welded over these strips are door guide plates 26. Slidably disposed between the side walls 4 and 5 and each pair of guide plates 26 is a side gate or cut-off panel 27 capable of being positioned with its lower edges below the lower edges of the front and back walls 3 and 2 of the frame or above such level.

Pivoted to each of the rear guide plates '26 isra lever 2% provided at its forward end with a slot 29. Receivable in said slot is a headed pin 31 secured to the upper end of the adjacent gate 27. Fastened to the upper end of each of the gates 27 is a chain 32 passing through an eye 33 secured to one of the angles 7 and 8. As a result of this construction, each of the side gates 27 can be raised or lowered by its operating lever 28 and secured at any desired elevation by its associated chain 32.

Welded across the lower edge of the frame back wall 2 is an angle 34, and welded to the corner formed by the lower face of the angle 34 and the lower end of the wall 2' is a plurality of transversely spaced, coaxial, hinge pintle sleeve bearings 35. Journaled in the bearings 35 is a' hinge pintle 36, and mounted thereon are sleeve bearings 37 interdigitated with the bearings 35. Welded to the bearings 37 is a full floating screed plate 38 having a forward sharpened edge 39 extending substantially forwardly of the frame rear wall 2.

Welded to and extending rearwardly from the rear wall 2 is a pair of transversely spaced, upstanding plates or webs 41, and welded to the ends thereof are offset brackets 42. Secured to the rear end of the screed plate is an angle 43, and fastened thereto in vertical alignment with each of the offset brackets 42 is a bifurcated hinge member 44. Pivoted to each of the members 44 by a pin 45 is a sleeve 46, and welded to the upper end thereof is an internally threaded out or collar 46a. Threaded in said collar is a screw 47. Seated over the upper end of each of the screws 47 is a collar 48 pivoted to and between the ends of the webs 41 and their associated bracket 42 by studs 49 and held in place by a stop collar 50. Welded or otherwise secured to the upper end of each screw 47 is a crank 51. As a result of this construction, the screed a plate 38 can be rotated about the hinge pintle 36 and thereby made to assume any desired degree of inclination relative to the horizontal regardless of the inclination of the rear end of the frame 1.

Extending between the front and rear walls 3 and 2 of the frame 1, and Welded thereto, is a pair of transversely extending vertical partitions 52 and 53 terminating substantially short of the bottom of the frame and roughly separating it into three substantially equal sections (FIG. 1).

Extending across the open bottom or throat of the frame 1 is a cut-off plate 54 supported at its front end by the angle 6 and at its rear end on the front end '39 of the screed plate 38. One or more cut-off plates 54 can be positioned at any point across the bottom of the frame and serve to blank off the throat of the frame. Also receivable within the frame 1 is an inclined cut-off plate 55 supported at its lower end by the angle 6 and the screed plate 38. As indicated in FIG. 6, the lower edge of the plate 55 can be made to engage one of the edges of the cut-off plate 54-, and by so doing, the delivery throat or opening of the frame is materially reduced.

Preferably an angle-iron 56 is secured to one edge of each of the plates 54 by a chain hinge or link 57 and arranged to bridge the flange 6 and the forward edge 39 of screed plate 38 as shown in FIG. 7 and with one of its legs 58 vertically disposed. The legs 58 therefore can be made to serve as a vertical form or sharp cut-off for the material being deposited on the roadway regardless of whether the plate 54 is in an inclined position as shown in the left-hand end of FIG. 6, in a horizontal position as shown adjacent the center of this figure or in any intermediate position. If the plate 55 is being used as shown in FIG. 6, the left-hand plate 54 and angle-iron 56 are, of course, removed and likewise if the left-hand plate 54 and angle-iron 56 are being used, the plate 55 and its right-hand plate 54 are removed. What particular combination of plates is used depends, of course, upon the width of the strip of material to be laid. In any case the weight of the material overlying these plates is ample to hold them in any predetermined set position.

To initiate the operation of this device, a pair of parallel planks are placed on the roadbed at the point where the initial end of the strip of asphalt is to be laid, these planks being spaced a distance not greater than the width of the distribution box. The distribution box is then placed over this section of the roadbed with its screed plate 38 supported on the planks in spaced relation to the roadbed or ground. The bridle 24a is then connected to a trunk immediately ahead of the distribution box as indicated in FIG. 2, the relationship between the distribution box and the truck being such that by tipping the truck body 56a, material such as asphalt or concrete carried therein can be fed to the distribution box and delivered by the box to the roadbed as a strip. During the initial forward movement of the distribution box its rear end is supported by the planks in spaced relation to the ground, thus enabling an initial strip of asphalt material to be laid. This initial strip, which of course is being continuously formed under the leading sharpened end of the screed plate, supports the major portion of the screed and is compressed and compacted thereby as the screed plate passes over it. The inclination of the screed plate determines the depth of the strip being laid, and this can be adjusted as desired by the crank 51. If the width of the strip of roadbed to be laid is less than the width of the distribution box, the cut-off plates 54 and/ or 55 are so positioned within the box 1 that the throat or bottom opening thereof is limited to the desired width. If, on the other hand, the strip to be laid is of a width equal to the full Width of the box or frame, the cut-off plates 54 and 55 are removed. If it be desired to have the strip laid formed with square shoulders, the side gates 27 are lowered to a level below the level of the side, front, and rear walls.

If the strip of material to be laid is of a width in excess of the width of the distribution box and therefore has to be laid in two or more passes, the second strip is laid immediately adjoining the first strip, and in so doing the inside gate 27 as illustrated in FIG. 6 is adjusted in an elevated position so that some material 61 will be fed laterally of the distribution box to the strip 62 previously laid. This insures that suflicient material will be available at the juncture of the two adjacent strips to produce a smooth and even joint after the joint is rolled or screeded.

Here it should be noted that since the distribution box is supported on the roadbed by the wheels 22 only at its front end, half of the entire weight of the box is carried by the strip being screeded. In addition to this, the weight of that portion of the material 63 lying above the forward end of the screed plate 38 is also transmitted through the screed plate to the strip 64 under formation.

In so far as I know this is the first distribution box ever devised wherein the layer of material being formed constitutes the sole support for the screed plate and wherein the inclination of the screed plate controls the depth of the layer of material being laid.

It can therefore be appreciated that in the device described I have provided a simple distribution box capable of being adjusted so as to lay strips of material of a variety of widths; that provision is made by way of its side gates for either making a strip having a sharp shoulder on either one or both of its sides, or for permitting material to be delivered laterally thereof on either one or both of its sides; and that the screed plate of the box imparts to the strip being laid not only one-half the weight of the box but also a portion of the weight of the material disposed within the box.

I claim:

1. A distribution box comprising: a rectangular frame including upstanding opposed side walls and upstanding front and rear walls; ground engaging wheels mounting only the front end of said frame; a screed plate pivoted to the lower edge of said rear wall and extending rearwardly thereof; and flexible draft means secured to the lower front end of said distribution box.

2. A distribution box of the character defined in claim 1 comprising: side gates slidable over said opposed side walls, and levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said frame and at their ends to said side gates for raising and lowering said gates relative to said side walls; and means for holding said gates in any predetermined adjusted position.

3. A distribution box such as defined in claim 1 comprising: a ledge formed along the lower edge of said front Wall and extending reanwardly thereof; and a cut-off plate res-ting at its front end on said ledge and at its rear end on the forward end of said screed plate, thereby to restrict the opening of the lower end of said frame.

4. A distribution box such as defined in claim 1 comprising: a ledge formed along the lower edge of said front wall and extending rearwardly thereof and a transversely inclined cut-off plate supported at one of its ends on said ledge and at its other end on the forward end of said screed plate.

5. A distribution box of the character described in claim 1 comprising means for adjusting the level of said frame relative tosaid ground engaging wheels.

6. A distribution box of the character described in claim 1 comprising a laterally movable cut-off plate extending across the bottom of said frame and an angle-iron hinged thereto.

7. A distribution box comprising: a rectangular frame including upstanding opposed side walls and upstanding front and rear walls; ground engaging wheels mounted only on the front end of said frame; a screed plate hinged to the lower edge of said rear Wall; means associated with said rear wall and with the rear end of said screed plate for determining the inclination of said screed plate; and

flexible draft means secured to the lower front end of said distribution box.

8. A distribution box comprising: a rectangular frame including upstanding opposed side walls and upstanding front and rear walls; ground engaging wheels mounted only on the front end of said frame; a screed plate hinged intermediate its front and rear ends to the lower edge of said rear wall; means associated with said rear wall and with the rear end of said screed plate for determining the inclination of said screed plate; and flexible draft means secured to the lower front end of said distribution box.

9. A distribution box comprising: a generally rectangular open frame including upstanding side, front, and rear walls; road engaging wheels mounted only on the front end of said frame; a screed plate hinged intermediate its front and rear ends to the lower edge of said rear wall; a sub-frame secured to and extending rear- Wardly from said rear wall; a collar pivoted to said subframe; a nut swiveled to the rear end of said screed plate; a screw 'journaled in said collar and having threaded engagement with said nut; means for holding said screw against axial movement relative to said collar; and means for rotating said screw; and flexible draft means secured to the lower front end of said distribution box.

10. The method of surfacing a roadbed by a distribution box including a hopper, wheels for supporting the front end of said hopper and a rearwardly extending screed plate fixed to the lower edge of the rear wall of said hopper comprising passing surfacing material through said hopper and onto said roadbed and advancing said distribution box over said road-bed with substantially onehalf the weight of said distribution box imposed on the newly deposited surfacing material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,861,925 Kim-e June 7, 1932 2,138,828 Barber Dec. 6, 1938 2,168,507 Barber Aug. 8, 1939 2,215,455 Abernathy Sept. 24, 1940 2,403,820 Miller July 9, 1946 2,586,396 Trampler Feb. 19, 1952 2,590,443 Miller Mar. 25, 1952 2,757,587 Mentes Aug. 7, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 455,544 Canada Mar. 29, 1949 200,107 Australia Nov. 9, 1955 

1. A DISTRIBUTION BOX COMPRISING; A RECTANGULAR FRAME INCLUDING UPSTANDING OPPOSED SIDE WALLS AND UPSTANDING FRONT AND REAR WALLS; GROUND ENGAGING WHEELS MOUNTING ONLY THE FRONT END OF SAID FRAME; A SCREED PLATE PIVOTED TO THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREOF; AND FLEXIBLE DRAFT MEANS SECURED TO THE LOWER FRONT END OF SAID DISTRIBUTION BOX. 